Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA
Students have a bi-weekly online reading assignment (hosted by SurveyMonkey.com), where they answer questions based on reading their textbook, material covered in previous lectures, opinion questions, and/or asking (anonymous) questions or making (anonymous) comments. Full credit is given for completing the online reading assignment before next week's lecture, regardless if whether their answers are correct/incorrect. Selected results/questions/comments are addressed by the instructor at the start of the following lecture.
The following questions were asked on reading textbook chapters and previewing presentations on electromagnetic waves and redirecting light (reflection and refraction), along with advice from students from the previous semester.
Selected/edited responses are given below.
Describe what you understand from the assigned textbook reading or presentation preview. Your description (2-3 sentences) should specifically demonstrate your level of understanding.
"The concept of the electromagnetic spectrum and the difference between visible light and other types of radiation like infrared."
"Electromagnetic radiation is a large spectrum and visible light is the only wavelength range that we can perceive."
"Speed and frequency are independent parameters, while wavelength is dependent and therefor set by λ = v/f. Light reflection is light bouncing off a surface, refraction is light bending through an object."
"Light traveling through any other transparent source than vacuum will experience a slower speed, and with that slower speed, the index of refraction will be greater than one."
"Light can be refracted as it passes through different materials giving it bending like an illusion. According to Snell's law n1·sinθ1 = n2·sinθ2 where n1 and n2 are the indices of refraction and θ1 and θ2 are the incident and refracted angles."
Describe what you found confusing from the assigned textbook reading or presentation preview. Your description (2-3 sentences) should specifically identify the concept(s) that you do not understand.
"I don't understand why if you change to a denser medium that wavelength and velocity decreases when I think it should increase to travel through the medium."
"I am having a hard time finding or understanding the relationships between the speed, frequency, and wavelength of light as it passes from one medium to the next."
"I didn't really understand index of refraction. I understand how to use it not why we use it."
"How to apply Snell's law. A better description of the sayings 'fast-to-slow bends toward the normal' and 'slow-to-fast bends away from normal' is needed."
"I was most confused by the definition of the 'normal.' I didn't understand where the term came from or was in reference to."
"Snell's law seems pretty confusing, but I'm sure if you go over it in class that I'll be solid."
"Some of the equations and how to use them properly."
"Need to review most of the signs and symbols."
air. ************************************ [36] water. * [1] (There is a tie.) [0] (Unsure/guessing/lost/help!) * [1]
(Only correct responses shown.)
speed v: decreases [79%]
frequency f: remains constant [47%]
wavelength λ: decreases [42%]
For the above example of light incident in air being transmitted into plastic, __________ has the greater index of refraction.
air. [0] plastic. ********************************** [36] (There is a tie.) [0] (Unsure/guessing/lost/help!) ** [2]
(Only correct responses shown.)
speed v: increases [66%]
frequency f: remains constant [58%]
wavelength λ: increases [40%]
For the above example of light incident in plastic being transmitted into air, __________ has the greater index of refraction.
air. **************************** [28] plastic. ***** [5] (There is a tie.) [1] (Unsure/guessing/lost/help!) **** [4]
State your preference for denoting the inverse sine operation.
Arcsin. [0] sin–1. ******************************** [32] (No preference.) **** [4] (Unsure/guessing/lost/help!) ** [2]
Pick one piece of student advice from the previous semester, and discuss why you agree (or disagree) with it.
"'A piece of advice I would give myself is to get help from a tutor immediately because you can't teach yourself how to do it," is a statement I inherently disagree with given my experience in this previous semester. Although at times some concepts may be difficult to grasp, with some in class review and at home practice at problems, the material is generally understandable on my own or with some light guidance."
"'I would tell myself that if you never miss a lab or lecture there's a very good chance that you'll get an 'A' in this class. I would also tell myself to spend a good amount of time trying to understand the reading assignments on waiferx.blogspot.com because they're super-informative and helpful with understanding the material.' After taking Physics 205A with Dr. Len last semester, I know completing the homework and reading assignments are EXTREMELY important. After gaining points from the smaller assignments, I was able to receive a low grade on the final and still earn an 'A'."
"'Just stay on top of your assignments, it's easy points. Also try to focus on things that aren't very clear to you the most because if you have a grasp on other concepts then it's pretty straightforward, considering physics is somewhat logic based. Also for the midterms just study what you messed up on the quizzes and grind those concepts into your skull. Other than that, easy cash. I should not procrastinate to study when an exam is coming up.' I agree with it because this is exactly how I learned and survived my with my A last semester."
"'Make sure to do all the online homework and reading assignments because those points rack up.' I would chose this statement as it is something I failed to do successfully that cost me the higher grade."
"'Define equation variables before the exams.' Even if the problems on the tests and quizzes from last semester didn't make much sense at first glance, they could have still been done correctly if you had a complete understanding of the equations and their variables."
"'I would advise myself to do all the homework assignments to maximize my points in those categories and give myself a chance of skipping the final altogether.' I agree with the statement above because I took Physics 205A last semester with P-dog and I know that getting an 'A' is possible as long as I keep up with all the homework, going to class, and doing well on the quizzes. This semester I would like to not have to take the final, therefore I'm going to be reaching for that goal all semester long."
"'Stay on top of the assignments and don't forget them.' Last semester for about the first few months I was forgetting to do the HW and Reading assignments and as a result, I left a lot of free/easy points on the table. But I changed that towards the end of the semester."
"'Don't give up and keep moving forward! Read the book from the start of the semester!' was good reminder that you always have to take one step at a time and the only direction you can go is forward by studying and doing homework. I agree with this, because as long as you keep putting in the time, your understanding of the concepts will only grow."
"'Spend more time going back through notes/examples from class.' This is because this piece of advice is what I do to study for most of my classes. I believe this helps me understand the material the most efficient way possible."
Ask the instructor an anonymous question, or make a comment. Selected questions/comments may be discussed in class.
"It seems as though we're hitting the ground running this semester. So far I am intimidated by the optics topics but am hoping I will feel better about them after lecture."
"Is the difficulty of the homework, quizzes and worksheets similar to the exam difficulty?" (The homework and worksheets are adapted from actual quiz questions; but we will also assign past exam questions for you to study later this semester.)
"Please go over this stuff!"
"Looking forward to this semester! So far it seems like the concepts are going to be super-different!"
"Great to be back!"
"Getting my book soon."
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